'Ladakh is integral part of India, no denial can change this'

New Delhi, Oct. 13 -- Ladakh is an "integral and inalienable part of India", New Delhi underlined on Tuesday after China raised objections as the Central government identified and standardised the names of 28 strategic places in the Union Territory of Ladakh for official mapping.

On October 2, India formally identified 28 strategic locations and geographical features in Ladakh, including key border friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) such as Gogra and Hot Spring, on the official Indian map.

"Identifying these places formally on the Survey of India map of UT of Ladakh is aimed at facilitating their accurate recognition and better awareness among the public at large," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

Gogra and Hot Spring are among the major strategic locations and were friction points during the 2020 standoff between Indian and Chinese forces. The locations are crucial for Indian patrolling along the LAC.

India's reaction came hours after China strongly opposed New Delhi assigning the standardised names.

"It is reiterated that the UT (Union Territory) of Ladakh is an integral and inalienable part of India. No amount of denial by the Chinese side can change this established fact," the MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

He said the press release by the Ministry of Home Affairs of October 2 that China referred to, is "self-explanatory".

"The announcement mentions that the 28 places/features located in the UT of Ladakh have been identified with standard place and feature names on the official map of Survey of India, and it has been done in consultation with the Union Territory of Ladakh and local stakeholders," Jaiswal said.

"Identifying these places formally on the Survey of India map of UT of Ladakh is aimed at facilitating their accurate recognition and better awareness among the public at large," he said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in Beijing that China strongly opposed India's decision to assign standardised names to the locations and geographical features in Ladakh.

"China has never recognised the so-called 'Union Territory of Ladakh' unilaterally and illegally established by India, and firmly opposes the so-called 'standardised names' publicised by India," she said.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.